"Archer?"
"Darling!" The woman said again, her voice a little more strained now. "Who is it you're talking to there?"
"Yes, darling," I whispered. "Why don't you introduce us?"
"I hate you," Sterling said.
"There has never been a more mutual agreement in the history of agreements."
The woman clicked to a halt in front of us. Even in my heels I had to look up to her. She looked like a Norwegian supermodel. Borderline ice white hair, pale skin, and even in the dark I could see how freakishly light her eyes were. "And you are?" she said in her haughty tone.
"I'm Maron," I said, politeness oozing from my tone. "Sterling was just here telling me I left my headlights on. Such a gentleman," I oozed.
Confusion flickered in her gaze. "Oh. Really? I didn't see them on."
"Yes, he was making small talk about you, weren't you, Mr. Luna?" I gave the woman a blazing smile and leaned forward to whisper in a conspiratorial tone. "He thinks you might be his soul mate."
The woman's expression didn't change. "Well of course we are. Portia doesn't make mistakes, does she?"
"That's what I said!" I told her. "I mean, obviously look how perfect you look together."
I glanced back at Sterling. He was still standing slightly behind me, but the look on his face was thunderous.
"We do, don't we?" the woman gushed. If a flat monotone could be called gushing. She held out a gloved hand to me. "Cherry," she said.
Of course her name was Cherry. I gave Sterling a fierce grin and wink before I took the woman's hand. "So very nice to meet you. I can'twaitto hear about your wedding. I'm sure it will be glorious. And your children?" I shook my head. "With your coloring and gorgeous eyes and Sterling's winning personality, I'm sure they will be just little geniuses."
A pinch on the backside made me jump, but I resisted squealing. I stepped out of the firing zone and nodded my head to both of them. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have someone waiting inside for me."
I watched as Sterling's eyes dropped to what I was wearing. They widened and I saw the barest hint of a nostril flare.That's right. Eat your heart out, werewolf. And he couldn't say another word because we were supposed to be strangers.
"Of course," Cherry said as she reached her hand out for Sterling's arm. "It was very nice to meet you."
I had stepped behind the woman. My gaze locked on Sterling. "Oh, I can assure you the pleasure was all mine."
His glare was glorious and I would cherish it forever. If there was ever a man who hated me more than Sterling Luna did, I was sure I'd never met him.
The thought warmed me as I sashayed into the restaurant to meet my soulmate.
A man sat aloneat the edge of the restaurant and heaven help my heart, he was reading a book. I tried to make out the title as I walked toward him, but he was too far away to see. He was blond, a dusky sort of blond, that made him look less like a frat boy and more like David Beckham. I was waiting for him to tilt his head up to see me because if he looked anything like the star soccer player, I was going to go and kiss Portia straight on the mouth.
From what I could tell, he had a five o'clock shadow which did nothing to detract from the strength of his jaw, and he'd probably just came from work. He wore a white button down shirt with a loosened tie and had a navy blue blazer slung over the back of the seat.
Holy hotness.
As I moved closer to him, he sensed me and looked up. Light gray eyes highlighted by dark eyelashes plus high cheekbones equaledbe still my beating heart. He was gorgeous. Drop dead and all that, and I was supposed to be less of a geek about this and more in control of myself. I let out a slow breath and stopped in front of his table.
"Dimitri?" See? Even his name was hot.
"Maron?"
I nodded and stuck my hand out. He ignored it which hurt my feelings for a second. But he stood immediately, brushed a kiss over my cheek, and pulled my chair out.
Oh my. Yes, please.
I sent him a grateful smile and sank into my seat, the memory of his closeness and his smell forever imprinted on my brain. Now this was what I was talking about.
I could feel someone's heated stare at my back and had no doubt it was Sterling glaring at me and still trying to come up with payback for how I'd just schooled him. I didn't look over.
